BAE Systems announced on 19 December 2024 that it had recently received a USD 656 million (EUR 637 million) order to produce additional Bradley M2A4 and M7A4 vehicles for the US Army.
The M2A4 is the latest, fully digital version of the Bradley tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), while the M7A4 is an upgraded fire-support vehicle with integrated target location equipment to help direct artillery fire and airborne munitions. The vehicles are produced by upgrading older M2A3 IFVs and M7A3 Bradley Fire Support Team (BFIST) vehicles.
“The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is a game-changer in today’s battlefields and is built to keep dominating in future fights,” Aaron Bandow, Bradley Fighting Vehicle programme director for BAE Systems, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “This proven platform continues to make a difference for troops all over the world, ensuring they have the firepower, mobility, and survivability capabilities they need.”
BAE Systems describes the Bradley A4 as “a critical, next-generation capability in the army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) formation” and “a proven system that enhances battlefield performance to meet a variety of mission requirements in various combat situations”.
The Bradley A4’s digitised electronics facilitate optimum situational awareness, network connectivity and communication within the US Army’s ABCTs. The M2A4 variant also has an enhanced drivetrain, a more powerful engine, a new fire suppression system and a new improvised explosive device jammer.
The US Army has more than 2,500 Bradley IFVs in service and first started introducing the M2A4 in April 2022. The army also has a fleet of more than 300 M7A3 BFIST vehicles and started fielding its first M7A4s around August 2022.
